Footwear outsole cleaner

ABSTRACT

An illustrated top view of an exemplary footwear outsole cleaner for cleaning a bottom of a footwear is presented. The footwear outsole cleaner is useful for cleaning the bottom of footwear when the footwear has snow, dirt, mud or any other substance adhered to the outsole of the footwear. The footwear outsole cleaner has a top. The top has a first footwear position, a second footwear position, a first cleaner, a second cleaner, a first actuator, a second actuator and a third actuator. The first and second cleaners for scrubbing the adhered material from the bottom of the footwear. Activating the first or second cleaner or both cleaners to move and have the adhering material removed. A funnel for directing the adhered material to a receptacle A fan is provided to help provide suction of the adhered material to the receptacle.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to footwear. More particularly, it relates to cleaning of footwear.

BACKGROUND

A is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot while the wearer is doing various activities. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration and fashion. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture to culture, with appearance originally being tied to function. Additionally, fashion has often dictated many design elements, such as whether shoes have very high heels or flat ones.

Contemporary footwear in the 2010s varies widely in style, complexity and cost. Basic sandals may consist of only a thin sole and simple strap and be sold for a low cost. High fashion shoes made by famous designers may be made of expensive materials, use complex construction and sell for hundreds or even thousands of dollars a pair. Some shoes are designed for specific purposes, such as boots designed specifically for mountaineering or skiing.

Traditionally, shoes have been made from leather, wood or canvas, but in the 2010s, they are increasingly made from rubber, plastics, and other petrochemical-derived materials. Though the human foot is adapted to varied terrain and climate conditions, it is still vulnerable to environmental hazards such as sharp rocks and temperature extremes, which shoes protect against. Some shoes are worn as safety equipment, such as steel-soled boots which are required on construction sites.

A boot is a special type of shoe which covers the foot and the ankle and extends up the leg, sometimes as far as the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is clearly distinguishable from the rest of the sole, even if the two are made of one piece. They are typically made of leather or rubber, although they may be made from a variety of different materials. Boots are worn both for their functionality, protecting the foot and leg from water, snow, mud or hazards or providing additional ankle support for strenuous activities, as well as for reasons of style and fashion.

During wet or snowy weather, snow boots are worn to keep the foot warm and dry. They are typically made of rubber or other water-resistant material, have multiple layers of insulation, and a high heel to keep snow out. Boots may also be attached to snowshoes to increase the distribution of weight over a larger surface area for walking in snow.

Ski boots are a specialized snow boot which are used in alpine or cross-country skiing and designed to provide a way to attach the skier to his/her skis using ski bindings. The ski/boot/binding combination is used to effectively transmit control inputs from the skier's legs to the snow. Ice skates are another specialized boot with a metal blade attached to the bottom which is used to propel the wearer across a sheet of ice. Inline skates are similar to ice skates but with a set of three to four wheels in lieu of the blade, which are designed to mimic ice skating on solid surfaces such as wood or concrete.

Boots are designed to withstand heavy wear to protect the wearer and provide good traction. They are generally made from sturdy leather uppers and non-leather outsoles. They may be used for uniforms of the police or military, as well as for protection in industrial settings such as mining and construction. Protective features may include steel-tipped toes and soles or ankle guards.

The insole is the interior bottom of a shoe, which sits directly beneath the foot under the footbed (also known as sock liner). The purpose of insole is to attach to the lasting margin of the upper, which is wrapped around the last during the closing of the shoe during the lasting operation. Insoles are usually made of cellulosic paper board or synthetic non-woven insole board. Many shoes have removable and replaceable footbeds. Extra cushioning is often added for comfort (to control the shape, moisture, or smell of the shoe) or health reasons (to help deal with differences in the natural shape of the foot or positioning of the foot during standing or walking).

The outsole is the layer in direct contact with the ground. Dress shoes often have leather or resin rubber outsoles; casual or work-oriented shoes have outsoles made of natural rubber or a synthetic material like polyurethane. The outsole may comprise a single piece, or may be an assembly of separate pieces, often of different materials. On some shoes, the heel of the sole has a rubber plate for durability and traction, while the front is leather for style. Specialized shoes will often have modifications on this design: athletic or so-called cleated shoes like soccer, rugby, baseball and golf shoes have spikes embedded in the outsole to improve traction.

The outsole often gets dirty, grimy, scuffed, etc. There is no current apparatus the is directed providing a cleaning experience for the outsole of footwear. Therefore, there is a need for a device to provide a safe, easy and effective cleaning for the outsole of footwear.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustrated top view of an exemplary footwear outsole cleaner.

FIG. 2 is an illustrated side view of the exemplary footwear outsole cleaner as shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The phrases “in one embodiment,” “in various embodiments,” “in some embodiments,” and the like are used repeatedly. Such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. The terms “comprising,” “having,” and “including” are synonymous, unless the context dictates otherwise. Such terms do not generally signify a closed list.

“Above,” “adhesive,” “affixing,” “any,” “around,” “both,” “bottom,” “by,” “comprising,” “consistent,” “customized,” “enclosing,” “friction,” “in,” “labeled,” “lower,” “magnetic,” “marked,” “new,” “nominal,” “not,” “of,” “other,” “outside,” “outwardly,” “particular,” “permanently,” “preventing,” “raised,” “respectively,” “reversibly,” “round,” “square,” “substantial,” “supporting,” “surrounded,” “surrounding,” “threaded,” “to,” “top,” “using,” “wherein,” “with,” or other such descriptors herein are used in their normal yes-or-no sense, not as terms of degree, unless context dictates otherwise.

Reference is now made in detail to the description of the embodiments as illustrated in the drawings. While embodiments are described in connection with the drawings and related descriptions, there is no intent to limit the scope to the embodiments disclosed herein. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents. In alternate embodiments, additional devices, or combinations of illustrated devices, may be added to, or combined, without limiting the scope to the embodiments disclosed herein.

Referring to FIG. 1, an illustrated top view of an exemplary footwear outsole cleaner 100 for cleaning a bottom of a footwear is presented. The footwear outsole cleaner 100 is useful for cleaning the bottom of footwear when the footwear has snow, dirt, mud or any other substance adhered to the outsole of the footwear.

The footwear outsole cleaner 100 has a top 110. The top 110 has a first footwear position 112, a second footwear position 114, a first cleaner 116, a second cleaner 118, a first actuator 120, a second actuator 122 and a third actuator 124.

The footwear outsole cleaner 100 is preferably in a range of two to two and one-half (2-2.5) feet in length, but other lengths are hereby contemplated including, but not limited to, three (3) feet, three and one-half (3.5) feet, etc.

The footwear outsole cleaner 100 is preferably in a range of one and one-half and two (1.5-2) feet in width, but other widths are hereby contemplated including, but not limited to, three (3) feet, two and one-half (2.5) feet, etc.

The footwear outsole cleaner 100 is preferably in a range of six to twelve (6-12) inches in height, but other heights are hereby contemplated including, but not limited to, four (4) inches, fourteen (14) inches, etc. The footwear outsole cleaner 100 is preferably made of a durable plastic material such as poly-vinyl chloride (PVC), high-density poly-ethylene (HDPE), etc., but other materials are hereby contemplated such as, but not limited to, wood, metal, durable plastic—metal combination, etc. The footwear outsole cleaner 100 is preferably a rectangular shape but other shapes are hereby contemplated such as, but not limited to, square, oblong, round, hexagonal, trapezoidal, etc. The footwear being preferably a boot, but other types of footwear are hereby contemplated including, but not limited to, a shoe, a sandal, etc.

The first cleaner 116 is coupled to an interior portion 126 of the first foot position 112 of the top 114 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100. The second cleaner 118 is coupled to an interior portion 128 of the second foot position 114 of the top 114 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100. The first cleaner 116 is preferably a made of a metal material, but other materials are hereby contemplated including, but not limited to, PCV, HDPE, etc. The second cleaner 118 is preferably a made of a metal material, but other materials are hereby contemplated including, but not limited to, PCV, HDPE, etc. The first cleaner 116 and the second cleaner 118 are useful to be an abrasive area to remove any adhesive material such as snow, dirt, mud, etc.

The first actuator 120 is coupled to the top 110 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100 significantly near a upper portion 130 of the first footwear position 112. The first actuator 120 actuates or de-actuates the first cleaner 116 of the first footwear position 112 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100. The first actuator 120 is preferably a push button, but other types of actuators are hereby contemplated such as, but not limited to, a toggle switch, a touchscreen, a up/down switch, a computer device application, etc.

The second actuator 122 is coupled to the top 110 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100 significantly near a upper portion 132 of the second footwear position 114. The second actuator 122 actuates or de-actuates the second cleaner 118 of the second footwear position 114 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100. The second actuator 122 is preferably a push button, but other types of actuators are hereby contemplated such as, but not limited to, a toggle switch, a touchscreen, a up/down switch, a computer device application, etc.

The third actuator 124 is coupled to the top 110 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100 significantly between the first actuator 120 and the second actuator 122 of the top 110 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100. The third actuator 124 actuates or de-actuates the first cleaner 116 of the first footwear position 112 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100 and the second cleaner 118 of the second footwear position 114 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100. The third actuator 124 is preferably a push button, but other types of actuators are hereby contemplated such as, but not limited to, a toggle switch, a touchscreen, a up/down switch, a computer device application, etc.

Moving now to FIG. 2, an illustrated side view of the exemplary footwear outsole cleaner 100 shown in FIG. 1 is presented.

The footwear outsole cleaner 100 has the top 110, a first side 210, a second side 220, a third side 230, a fourth side 240, a bottom 250 and an interior 260.

The first cleaner 116 is coupled to an interior portion 126 of the first foot position 112 of the top 114 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100. The second cleaner 118 is coupled to an interior portion 128 of the second foot position 114 of the top 114 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100. The first cleaner 116 is preferably a made of a metal material, but other materials are hereby contemplated including, but not limited to, PCV, HDPE, etc. The second cleaner 118 is preferably a made of a metal material, but other materials are hereby contemplated including, but not limited to, PCV, HDPE, etc.

The first cleaner 116 and the second cleaner 118 are useful to be an abrasive area to remove any adhesive material such as snow, dirt, mud, etc. Although the first cleaner 116 and the second cleaner 118 are shown in aligned horizontally, the first cleaner 116 and the second cleaner 118 may be aligned in other orientations such are diagonal, vertical, etc. The first cleaner 116 and/or the second cleaner 118 may be brushes. Other types of devices are also contemplated for the first cleaner 116 and the second cleaner 118. Preferably, the first cleaner 116 is the same type of device as the second cleaner 118, but the first cleaner 116 may be a different type of device than the second cleaner 118.

The first actuator 120 is coupled to the top 110 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100 significantly near the first footwear position 112. The first actuator 120 actuates or de-actuates the first cleaner 116 of the first footwear position 112 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100. The first actuator 120 is communicative coupled to a motor 262 of the interior 260 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100.

The second actuator 122 is coupled to the top 110 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100 significantly near the second footwear position 114. The second actuator 122 actuates or de-actuates the second cleaner 118 of the second footwear position 114 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100. The second actuator 122 is communicative coupled to the motor 262 of the interior 260 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100.

The third actuator 124 is coupled to the top 110 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100 significantly between the first actuator 120 and the second actuator 122 of the top 110 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100. The third actuator 124 actuates or de-actuates the first cleaner 116 of the first footwear position 112 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100 and the second cleaner 118 of the second footwear position 114 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100. The third actuator 124 is communicative coupled to the motor 262 of the interior 260 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100.

The motor 262 of the interior 260 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100 is coupled to a power source 264. The power source 264 is preferably ac/dc power source, but other types of power sources are hereby contemplated such as, but not limited to, a replaceable battery, a rechargeable battery, NiCad battery, solar, wind turbine power, etc. The motor 262 supplies power to the first actuator 120, the second actuator 130, third actuator 140, a fan 266, the first cleaner 116 and the second cleaner 118.

The power source 264 has a power cord 263. The power cord 263 has an electrical plug 265. The electrical plug 265 is coupled to an electrical outlet (not shown). The electrical plug 265 receives electrical current from the electrical outlet and the power cord 263 carries the electrical current to the power source 264. The power source 264 then converts or passes the electrical current to the motor 262.

The interior 260 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100 has a receptacle 268. The receptacle 268 receives the adhering material removed from the footwear by the first cleaner 116 and/or the second cleaner 118. The receptacle 268 has a opener 269. The opener 269 is useful for removing the receptacle 268 from the interior 260 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100 so as to dispose of the removed adhering material. The opener 169 is preferably a handle, but other types of openers are hereby contemplated including, but not limited to, a push door, a sliding door, etc.

When the outsole of the footwear is scraped against the first cleaner 116 and/or the second cleaner 118, the removed adhering material is collected in a funnel 270 of the interior 260 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100. A top side 271 of the funnel 270 is coupled to the first footwear position 112 and the second footwear position 114. The bottom side 272 of the funnel 270 is removably coupled to the receptacle 268.

The fan 266 of the interior 260 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100 is coupled to the motor 262 of the interior 260 of the footwear outsole cleaner 100. The fan 266 when actuated providing suction to enhance an outflow of the footwear outsole cleaner 100 and therefore when coupled to the fan 266 produces a inflow of air into the funnel 270 thereby forcing the removed adhering material into the funnel 270 which directs the removed adhering material to the receptacle 268.

In the numbered clauses below, specific combinations of aspects and embodiments are articulated in a shorthand form such that (1) according to respective embodiments, for each instance in which a “component” or other such identifiers appear to be introduced (with “a” or “an,” e.g.) more than once in a given chain of clauses, such designations may either identify the same entity or distinct entities; and (2) what might be called “dependent” clauses below may or may not incorporate, in respective embodiments, the features of “independent” clauses to which they refer or other features described above.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the foregoing specific exemplary processes and/or devices and/or technologies are representative of more general processes and/or devices and/or technologies taught elsewhere herein, such as in the claims filed herewith and/or elsewhere in the present application.

The features described with respect to one embodiment may be applied to other embodiments or combined with or interchanged with the features of other embodiments, as appropriate, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A footwear outsole cleaner for removing material adhered to a footwear, the outsole cleaner comprising: A first footwear position and a second footwear position, a first cleaner coupled to the first footwear position, wherein the first cleaner for removing the adhered material from a first footwear; a second cleaner coupled to the second footwear position, wherein the second cleaner for removing the adhered material from a second footwear; a funnel for directing the removed material to a receptacle; and a fan for producing a suction for enhancing the movement of the removed material to the receptacle.
 2. The footwear outsole cleaner of claim 1, the footwear outsole cleaner further comprising a first actuator, wherein the first actuator for actuating the first cleaner.
 3. The footwear outsole cleaner of claim 1, the footwear outsole cleaner the footwear outsole cleaner further comprising a second actuator, wherein the second actuator for actuating the second cleaner.
 4. The footwear outsole cleaner of claim 1, the footwear outsole cleaner further comprising a third actuator, wherein the third actuator for actuating the first cleaner and wherein the third actuator for actuating the first cleaner.
 5. The footwear outsole cleaner of claim 1, the footwear outsole cleaner further comprising a motor, wherein the motor for powering the first cleaner, the second cleaner and the fan.
 6. The footwear outsole cleaner of claim 5, wherein the motor further comprising a power source, the power source for supplying electrical current to the motor.
 7. The footwear outsole cleaner of claim 6, wherein the power source being a rechargeable battery.
 8. The footwear outsole cleaner of claim 1, wherein the footwear outsole cleaner being a rectangular shape.
 9. The footwear outsole cleaner of claim 1, wherein footwear outsole cleaner being a length of between two and two and one-half (2-2.5) feet.
 10. The footwear outsole cleaner of claim 1, wherein footwear outsole cleaner being a width of between one and one-half and two (1.5-2) feet.
 11. The footwear outsole cleaner of claim 1, wherein footwear outsole cleaner being a height of between six and twelve (6-12) inches. 